If you’re looking for something a little quirky and different in your ski destination for winter 2023/24, look no further than Kazakhstan. With reliable snow, amazing prices, impressive infrastructure and an intriguing culture to experience, the Shymbulak Ski Resort in the city of Almaty is a refreshingly unique choice. Here are 10 reasons to give it a go.
1. The premier ski destination in Central Asia
Shymbulak Ski Resort is the largest and most modern ski resort in all of Central Asia. Located in the cosmopolitan city of Almaty, in south-eastern Kazakhstan, the resort sits at 2,260m above sea level and boasts 10 lifts and 25km of slopes exploring the dramatic peaks of the Zailiisky Alatau mountain range. There are two hotels, several eateries, a ski school and even a yurt bar at the Talgar Pass, the highest point of the resort. The lifts, which rise to 3,200m, offer almost a vertical kilometre of downhill skiing, exploring a mix of black, red and blue runs – so there’s something for everyone, from complete beginners to more advanced ski pros. It’s a small resort by European standards, but there’s more than enough to keep most skiers and snowboarders happy for a few days of dreamy downhill hedonism – plus who else of your snow buddies can say “I’ve skied in Kazakhstan”? It’s a nice little brag for the next time you catch up in an après bar in Chamonix or Verbier.
2. It’s only 45 minutes from the airport
Often airport-to-resort transfers are infuriatingly slow, but there are no such problems here in Almaty. It’s only a 45-minute drive from Almaty International Airport to the cable car at Medeu. Here you can buy your ski passes and ride up to Shymbulak in a matter of minutes. Taxis are very affordable in Kazakhstan – particularly if you use ride-hailing app Yandex Go, the Kazakh version of Uber – and a one-way journey from the airport to Medeu will generally cost less than 6,000 tenge (£10). To save even more money, you can take local buses from the airport to Medeu via Almaty from as little as 150 tenge (26p) per bus.
3. Ski passes are up to 75% cheaper than top European resorts
Compared to popular European spots such as Val d’Isère, Morzine and Meribel, where lift passes tend to cost €50-70 per day, skiing in Kazakhstan is an absolute bargain. Adult ski passes at Shymbulak cost 7,600 tenge (£13) for weekdays and 11,400 tenge (£19.60) for weekends and holidays. Prices for children are even cheaper. Rental equipment including skis, helmets and poles is sensibly priced in Shymbulak too, ranging from 5,000 to 9,000 tenge (£8.61-£15.49) per day.
4. Mix skiing with a fascinating cultural journey
If all you want to do is ski from first lift to last, sending it down new slopes every day, this isn’t the resort for you – just go to the 650km Portes du Soleil ski area on the French-Swiss border instead. But if you’re intrigued by an alternative, off-the-beaten-track, captivating destination, then Kazakhstan ticks all of the boxes. Most visitors will combine skiing with some other cultural and sightseeing activities, with three or four days spent on-piste and the remainder spent elsewhere. Whether you’re wandering the halls of Almaty’s fabulous food bazaars, relaxing in the Turkish-style saunas with the locals at Arasan Baths, taking a day trip to Big Almaty Lake and Almarasan gorge, wandering around the impressive Zhenkov Ascension Cathedral, or indulging your taste buds with a plate of shashlik (grilled skewered meats), there is so much more than just skiing to experience on the doorstep of Almaty. Another must-visit attraction is the ice skating rink at Medeu, the highest rink in the world and a fascinating remnant of the area’s status as a training camp for USSR Winter Olympic teams in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
5. It’s the world’s highest ski resort for night-time skiing
In March 2023, Shymbulak was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s highest illuminated night skiing operation. From the resort’s loftiest slopes, the Talgar Pass at 3,200m, you can ski at night under floodlight – a magical experience that provides a new perspective of the mountains. Night skiing takes place on select Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7pm to 11pm, when the ski lifts operate for extended hours (the Medeu-Shymbulak cable car usually operates from 9am to 6pm on weekdays and from 8.30am to 6pm at weekends).
6. No bare slopes here - the snow is reliable
While European ski resorts, particularly those situated below 2,000m, have had poor snowfall for the past few years, Shymbulak is a consistent performer. The mountains experience reliable dumps every winter, benefitting from the high altitude of the resort (2,260m to 3,200m), and there is also a long season from November to April with good conditions in the shoulder months.
7. You can fly direct (sort of) from Heathrow Airport
Air Astana is the principal airline and flag carrier of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Established in 2002, the airline operates scheduled domestic and international services from its main hub, Almaty International Airport, and services up to five flights per week out of London Heathrow (Terminal 4). These flights have a technical stop-over in Aktau – a city in western Kazakhstan, on the shores of the Caspian Sea – but this is not a connecting flight. You don’t have to leave the plane or re-check-in, and instead you can simply sit back and wait for the journey to re-commence. Flights from Heathrow to Almaty cost from £540 return.
8. It’s one the cheapest places in the world for heli-skiing
In Europe heli-skiing tends to be the preserve of the ultra-rich, but not so in Kazakhstan. A day of heli-skiing in the Almaty mountains costs approximately £500, inclusive of experienced ski guides and journeys in a twin-engine Mi-8 helicopter, which can accommodate up to 15 people. On average a group of freeriders can make up to six descents per day, exploring the backcountry at an altitude of up to 4,000m. The heli season in Almaty runs from April until the end of June. The website Powder Nomads – a leading authority on backcountry skiing in Kazakhstan – describes heli-skiing around Almaty as superb value, delivering “memories of a lifetime” for participants.
9. Off-piste options are plentiful
If you’ve got the skills to shred through powder, there are excellent opportunities in Shymbulak away from the groomed pistes of the resort. The website Powder Nomads describes “smooth untouched slopes with shining snow” within close proximity of Shymbulak’s ski lifts, where free-riders can explore tree-lined areas and alpine paradises between 3,000m and 4,000m. Go further afield and you’ll discover “wild, less-visited and, sometimes, completely unexplored gorges and peaks” where you’ll “feel like a real discoverer”, writes the website’s author.
10. Accommodation is very affordable
While ski chalets and hotels tend to be very expensive in popular European resorts during peak season, accommodation in Almaty is far more affordable. An average six-night stay in a double room at the Holiday Inn starts from £436 – just £36 per person per night. If you want a package encompassing everything, Air Astana offers a six-night ski trip inclusive of accommodation, lift passes and flights from £843 per person. For accommodation with more character and charm, there are several excellent options. The Scandi-style wooden ski chalets of Qazaq Auyl Eco Hotel come with private saunas and are located at the bottom of Medeu ski lift; or for an even loftier experience, the “ski-in ski-out” cabins of Tenir Eco Lodges at 3,200m are a sight to behold.
How To Do It
Flights: Air Astana – Kazakstan’s national airline – flies from London Heathrow to Almaty via Aktau, from £540 return.
Public transport: Local bus 92 from Almaty International Airport to Almaty, and bus 12 from Almaty to Medeu. Timetables available here.
Where to stay: Sadu Hotel is an excellent option in Almaty city. In Medeu the Qazaq Auyl Eco Hotel has superb Scandi-style ski lodges, or in Shymbulak itself try Shymbulak Resort Hotel or Tenir Eco Hotels.
More info: www.visitalmaty.kz
Images: Shutterstock, Rooster and Kazakhstan.travel